Readers will see that support for a pre-election pact with UKIP among Party member respondents to our monthly survey fell quickly from a high in February – the first month in which we asked the question in its current form – and has oscillated from between 25 per cent and 34 per cent.

At 25 per cent this month, it is as low as it has been since July. Simultaneously, the proportion of those opposed has risen from 54 per cent in January, and has ranged between 58 per cent and 69 per cent. This month’s total is 68 per cent, a percentage point below July’s.

As is immediately apparent, support for a pre-election deal with the Liberal Democrats is much lower. This month, it is 5 per cent – a figure it has scarcely moved from since March, when we first asked the question.

In the meantime, opposition to such a pact has never dipped below 90 per cent. (This month, it is 93 per cent.) At first glance, Party member views of Nick Clegg’s party are more negative than those of Nigel Farage’s – but this post should be read in conjunction with Peter Hoskin’s of yesterday.

And our non-Party member responses? There has been more support for a pre-election UKIP pact and much the same for a pre-election Liberal Democrat one. For example, the figures for this month are 30 per cent for and 62 per cent opposed on the first, and 6 per cent and 91 per cent on the second.